Pen & Mug

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the co-founder and COO of Eden Realty Group. We're a small real estate team, focused on investor clients and others who are interested in finding financial freedom through real estate.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Pen & Mug, and what were your goals?

We were a brand new company and had nothing when we started with Pen and Mug! We needed a logo, company colors, a website, and an overall identity.

SOLUTION

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

The three primary people we worked with were:

1. Austin: Creative director + point of contact
2. Jeremy: Website developer
3. Kyle: Graphic designer + web designer

How did you select this vendor?

We have a long standing relationship with one of the founders and had seen how good there work was with events like Live on the Green.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

Personal meetings. Drafting several different logo options. Overall brand identity design created. Custom website designed. Branded profile and graphics for social media. Email newsletter template created. All sorts of templates for online slide decks and social media posts.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We worked with Austin exclusively.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We have an amazing website that people can always access for education, information, merchandise, and contact. We have an awesome social media presence. We have a weekly newsletter that is sent out via Mailchimp to stay in contact with all our past and current clients.

They have literally created the backbone of our company and it is so great to have the structure to build on.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

So communicative. Always willing to make changes. Listened to us thoroughly. Worked quickly. Zero complaints!

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The above and beyond with the social media and website thoughtfulness. I just thought we'd be handed the basics and then have to figure it out ourselves but Austin helped us every step of the way and it is FAR better than anything we could have made ourselves.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Nope. Truly a world class experience.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Project Coordinator of Greater Nashville Private Capital Association

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The GNPCA’s goal is to facilitate capital connections that unlock investment opportunities so our most innovative entrepreneurs can build successful companies that create jobs and contribute to our region’s growth.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Pen & Mug to accomplish?

• Brand identity design and website design for a newly launched organization. After that initial scope we started a longer-term partnership where we worked together to create a membership campaign, event signage and merchandise, marketing materials, website support and more. We also recreated the branding when the organization made a change to the organization name.

SOLUTION

How did you find Pen & Mug?

Referral

Why did you select Pen & Mug over others?

Referred to me

How many teammates from Pen & Mug were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

After completing the initial brand identity design and website design scope, Pen & Mug has served as GNPCA's "creative department", completing a wide range of graphic design, website and copywriting work. Some of these deliverables included:

• Organization logo and visual brand identity
• Website (gnpca.org)
• Creating and optimizing the membership onboarding process
• Event materials (signage, presentations, merchandise)
• Social media account management
• Email marketing 
• and more

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We received prompt and consistent support for all of our needs, which was especially valuable during the complex process of rebranding and changing our company name. Their team is incredibly responsive, often assisting us outside of regular hours to address any website issues that arose. The new graphics and website they delivered were not only professional and visually clean, but also completed in a timely manner. This upgrade played a key role in helping us grow our membership base and generate new revenue streams.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

This team is exceptionally responsive, resolving nearly all issues within a day—many times within the hour. They not only answered our questions promptly but also went above and beyond by creating instructional videos to guide us through processes we might need to revisit in the future.

What was your primary form of communication with Pen & Mug?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Pen & Mug’s willingness to educate their clients, not just answer questions. It reflects their commitment to each client’s success and their genuine dedication to helping every business thrive.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Pen & Mug could have done differently?

On a few occasions, certain tasks needed to be requested or followed up on more than once. However, this was understandable given their workload and the higher-priority responsibilities we had given them to manage as well as our changing deadlines -- it was never a major concern or issue for us. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Friends of Radnor Lake

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a nonprofit organization providing financial and marketing support for the protection of Radnor Lake State Natural Area.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Pen & Mug to accomplish?

• Copywriting and visual design for our 50th Anniversary campaign.
• Expanded our relationship and they now serve as my marketing team!

SOLUTION

How did you find Pen & Mug?

Referral

Why did you select Pen & Mug over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Value our brand

How many teammates from Pen & Mug were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Created a wide array of print and digital marketing communications for our 50th Anniversary campaign, including copywriting and design, development of website landing page, direct mailers, on-trail signage and social media posts.

After about a year, we expanded our relationship to include all contract marketing services. They function as my creative department, enabling our organization to have a professional and engaging online presence with coordinated print marketing and a more intentional marketing cadence.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

As the only employee of our organization, I was managing a collection of contractors to help me communicate our brand with the community. It is critical to me that we are communicating accurately, with the right tone, and professionally. 

I hired Pen & Mug to create a campaign celebrating our 50th Anniversary and their work exceeded my expectations. The presentations were beautiful, engaging, accurate and compelling. Their team gave me impressively good drafts and then really listened to me to deliver what I asked for when I needed it. They are great, open communicators, and they don't waste my time. What was once a burden for me - to create all of the marketing ideas, direct multiple contractors, write copy, find photos, etc., has transitioned to work with a creative team with ideas, energy and the skills to help me implement!

Our leadership has been very impressed by the marketing "uplevel" that we have accomplished with Pen & Mug. Additionally, our leadership team has appreciated the Pen & Mug team's investment in understanding our culture and brand by showing up to experience our events, the park, and our special initiatives so they can better communicate what matters to us.

While it took more than just marketing to reach our 50th Anniversary fundraising goal, I sincerely believe we would not have reached that goal, or communicated our mission to as many people, were it not for my excellent decision to hire Pen & Mug. I am still thanking that referral source!

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Pen & Mug is great about including deadlines as part of our regular conversations and have delivered what they promised. When I am the person who isn't delivering on time, they check in about how the delay affects the timeline and we discuss needs openly. Even when I am the delay, they work hard to make sure they can deliver what I need.

What was your primary form of communication with Pen & Mug?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They are a great design concept team, have good copy writers on staff, are fun to work with, engage with my brand, deliver what they promise and they listen. It's an impressive combination! What is unique about working with Pen & Mug is that it feels like a partnership.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Pen & Mug could have done differently?

Any time I need something to work a little differently, I communicate with them and we resolve it. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Vice President, Marketing of LASSO

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

LASSO helps event producers, staffing companies, and crews run more efficient, successful events with our all-in-one event operating system.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Pen & Mug to accomplish?

• An ongoing partnership creating all things graphic design, animation/illustration, and web support.

SOLUTION

How did you find Pen & Mug?

Referral

Why did you select Pen & Mug over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Pen & Mug were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Design collateral for print, digital marketing, website, video, events, and social media.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Working with Pen & Mug has really helped us elevate our branding across all platforms. Their designs have brought a cohesive, polished look to everything from our website to our event materials. It’s made a noticeable difference, with both our internal team and customers frequently commenting on the quality!

Thanks to this partnership, we’ve seen increased engagement online and pulled off some highly successful, visually impactful campaigns.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Pen & Mug has a great grasp on the management of projects. They are super efficient, delivering on time and with minimal changes. They are flexible and communicative and great to work with.

What was your primary form of communication with Pen & Mug?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Pen & Mug immediately felt like part of our internal team. They learned our brand so quickly and everything they design always feels like a bespoke piece engrained in our brand and values and never feels like an afterhtought or a mass production. 

Are there any areas for improvement or something Pen & Mug could have done differently?

No! We love working with them and value them immensely. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Executive Director of the organization

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We're a nonprofit bringing personal development education to students in high school in the Los Angeles area!

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Pen & Mug to accomplish?

• Complete Our Website
• Create Consistent Branding and a Unique Tone
• Create content pieces to use in other areas

SOLUTION

How did you find Pen & Mug?

Referral

Why did you select Pen & Mug over others?

Referred to me

How many teammates from Pen & Mug were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We engaged a qualified and experienced web development agency to design, develop, and launch a new website for our organization. The purpose of the project was to create an engaging and user-friendly website that accurately represented our mission, programs, and impact, while also incorporating a fresh and dynamic branding strategy. The primary objectives of the project were as follows: 

• Develop a visually appealing and intuitive website that effectively communicated our mission, programs, and impact. 
• Create a cohesive and modern branding strategy that reflected the values and goals of our company. 
• Enhance the user experience by improving website navigation, accessibility, and responsiveness. 
• Optimize the website for search engines to increase visibility and reach. 
• Integrate social media platforms to facilitate engagement and communication with our target audience. 
• Provide training and support to our staff to ensure efficient content management and website maintenance. 

The selected agency was responsible for the following deliverables: 

• Website Design: Developed a visually appealing and modern website design that aligned with our branding guidelines and incorporated user-friendly features. 
• Branding Strategy: Developed a comprehensive branding approach across the website and icons that can be used beyond the website for consistency. 
• Training and Support: Provided training to our staff on website management, content updates, and basic troubleshooting. 
• Quality Assurance and Testing: Conducted thorough testing to ensure the website functioned properly across various devices and browsers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Completion of website Completion of training Completion of branding items Completion of multiple newsletters branded in line with website

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They did an incredible job! They delivered in a timely manner and were all-star partners!

What was your primary form of communication with Pen & Mug?

Virtual Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their actual designs were really remarkable - or team does not have designers on it, so getting someone who could bring our culture into the branding without our ability to verbalize what we needed was exceptional. I would also say that their company culture was amazing - they were truly wonderful to work with, made the experience easy, and made every encounter wonderful.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Pen & Mug could have done differently?

No! They did great!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Associate Pastor of Worship of a non-profit company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are an active body of believers that exist to share the gospel

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Pen & Mug to accomplish?

• Modernize our public visibility
• Give us a suite of graphic and tools
• Provide a fresh perspective on how we present ourselves to the public

SOLUTION

How did you find Pen & Mug?

• Online Search
• Clutch Site

Why did you select Pen & Mug over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit

How many teammates from Pen & Mug were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

When we found Pen & Mug we were in the early stages of deciding what we needed to do . We knew we needed to change how we presented ourselves to the public, but were torn between refreshing our existing graphics suite or moving forward with a complete overhaul. P&M began the process by helping us clarify our goals through a simple series of tasks that were thought provoking and enlightening. 

Through our conversations we quickly realized that a new logo and graphics suite were warranted. Their research and discovery process ended up being critical to the success of the project as a whole. During the initial phases of the project P&M discovered a powerful image on our social media site that was regionally synonymous with our church. Their team was able to graft that picture into a simple, recognizable image that truly represents who we are. 

They surrounded it with various configurations and animations giving us a suite of graphics that were the culmination of our desires and their expertise. They furthermore enhanced the package with a strong color palette, audio samples, and more. Their team was responsive to our thoughts while providing feedback and guidance. They were extremely patient and professional throughout the process

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Congregational response- we presented our new logo as part of our vision during the sermon on 1/7/23. The image our graphic was born from has a deep connection in the recent life of our church and our community as a whole as it was a singular sign of hope during a recent regional tragedy. Though we were internally excited about the new direction there is always a concern when presenting new, bold ideas to a diverse group of 250+. 

There was a slight audible gasp when the new image was shown in conjunction with the social media picture it was made to reflect. People connected with the new imaging in a real, personal way. When the service was completed people of all ages and backgrounds were excited and supportive of the new direction.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Pen & Mug was always on top of the project. In fact, their patience with us may have been one of their most impressive attributes. During our project we had multiple factors that set us back significantly. This project could've easily been done within 3 months, but P&M remained patient and professional throughout the process. They were prompt when responding to concerns or questions and always seemed to be working to give us what we wanted. 10 out of 10 in service!

What was your primary form of communication with Pen & Mug?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their insight into who we were and what we needed could almost be described as intuitive. We sought out professional assistance because we knew we needed help, but were candidly skeptical how well a company that specialized in the public marketplace would be able to help a church. They were on point from the first presentation. VERY impressive!

Are there any areas for improvement or something Pen & Mug could have done differently?

None

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.
I am the VP Marketing of Solutions by Text

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.
B2B software: Messaging and payments for consumer lending

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Pen & Mug to accomplish?

• Create brand experience for major customer event
• Develop brand experience for all customer-facing collateral
• Design ad creative for targeted ABM campaigns

SOLUTION

How did you find Pen & Mug?
Referral

Why did you select Pen & Mug over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• High quality output

How many teammates from Pen & Mug were assigned to this project?
2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.
Developed our entire visual identity for major customer conference -- from physical signage to business cards to agendas to keynote presentations to name badges. Pen + Mug also acts as our full design partner -- they design all collateral and ad creative that our internal team creates. They have designed white papers, one pagers, email headers, and multiple ad campaigns.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

1. Consistent branding across market-facing materials - approvals and compliments from rest of internal team 
2. Elevated visual experience at our major customer event - many comments about how our branding made us look like a bigger company than we really are (that was our goal). From customers to CEO, many compliments about polished yet human look and feel.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?
Excellent project management. Always clear and concise. Extremely responsive via project tool and email alike. All deadlines met and all work high quality. When last-minute requests came in, quick to help us re-prioritize work to get the most urgent needs filled first.

What was your primary form of communication with Pen & Mug?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

1. Extremely high quality work 
2. Reasonable turnarounds and adherence to timeline commits 
3. Great people to work with

Are there any areas for improvement or something Pen & Mug could have done differently?
We are very happy with this relationship. No notes.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an Executive at True South Puzzle Company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We design and distribute jigsaw puzzles - B2B and B2C

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Pen & Mug to accomplish?

• Our initial game plan was to create your visual brand identity redesign and packaging redesign. From there we’ve added on the website revamp, copywriting, socials and more!

SOLUTION

How did you find Pen & Mug?

Referral

Why did you select Pen & Mug over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Pen & Mug were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

• Visual brand identity redesign 
• Company tagline and copywriting for web + socials 
• Packaging redesign 
• New and improved website design + dev 
• Product photography 
• Ongoing creative partnership to produce consistent social media content 
• Other miscellaneous graphic design and branding needs

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We've had very positive feedback from our wholesale customers on the new packaging and logo. We've noticed an uptick in our social media presence and have had more engagement from users on the platforms we use (Instagram and Facebook)

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Austin and his team were very responsive for the duration of our project (brand/logo refresh & packaging) They've exceeded our expectations; we love the finished product!

What was your primary form of communication with Pen & Mug?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

We were so impressed with Pen & Mug's handling of our brand refresh that we hired them to create our new website and content/copywrite for our social media outlets. We meet with them every other week via Zoom and they always have a professional presentation of the creative content they have been working on.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Pen & Mug could have done differently?

Honestly, no! They far exceeded our needs and expectations!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Owner of KP Financial Consulting

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a fractional CFO company that helps small businesses solve their financial problems.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Pen & Mug to accomplish?

• Logo Design
• Design for social media profile images + banners and post graphics
• Apply brand styles to existing website

SOLUTION

How did you find Pen & Mug?

Referral

Why did you select Pen & Mug over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Pen & Mug were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

I requested a logo that could be used as a banner and badge, as well as graphics for social media, and a website revamp to reflect my new branding.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Prior to obtaining all of my graphics, I didn't feel like my business was "official." Now that I have a cohesive brand (including a logo, socials, website, business cards, letterhead, etc.), I feel more confident in saying "I am a business owner and here's how I can assist you." I have had many clients and personal contacts positively comment on the look of the logo.

They (and I) think the logo is very professional and approachable, which are the two words I continued to stress to the team at Pen and Mug. I am thrilled that I now have a brand that I am confident I will be able to use for years to come!

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Austin (Director) was great to work with! Once we got started, I had all of my deliverables within a week! I was so impressed and felt like I was a priority to the team.

What was your primary form of communication with Pen & Mug?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

I was impressed with the number of options I received in the initial brand meeting. The team gave me a questionnaire to get a feel for what type of brand I wanted. Once this was filled out, they had many designs for me to review. We then worked together to figure out which one made the most sense for me and my business.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Pen & Mug could have done differently?

N/A